News Digest May 1-7, 2019

Government and the Ruling Party

Employees
Adjustment Process

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and
General Administration (MoFAGA) announced the completion of the civil
servants’ adjustment process in all three tiers of the government.
Nevertheless, about 10,000 civil servants in health and other sectors are not
satisfied and have registered complaints.[1]
Civil servants are reluctant to move to assigned locations and tiers citing
family interest, health issues, and lack of interest in provincial and local
level.[2]

Budget

The federal parliament has
kick-started the budget session. NC Whip Pushpa Bhusal strongly criticized the
government for not provisioning pre-budget discussion in the parliament.
Similarly, RJP-N and FSFN party put forth their demands to amend the
Constitution.[3]

NCP

PM KP Oli has said that Sher
Bahadur Deuba’s persistent criticism of the government is jaundiced.[4]

NCP Co-Chair Pushpa Kamal
Dahal-Prachanda has threatened to replace the Province 2 government if rampant
corruption does not stop. Chief Attorney of Province 2, Dipendra Jha objected
to Dahal’s statement as being against federalism. He reiterated that Dahal has
no authority to make such a statement as the province has its own body to
investigate the issues of corruption. Earlier, on October 23, 2018 Dahal urged
Province 2 not to overtake the federal government.[5]
Likewise, during an event organized to celebrate Marx’s 201st
anniversary, Dahal remarked that he may return to the jungle if he received
support.[6]

Policy
and Programmes

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari
presented the Policy and Programme of the Government of Nepal for the Year
2076/77 on May 3, 2019. Opposition lawmakers criticized the policy and
programmes saying the government had not done enough homework and had excluded
development plans for their regions. The President’s referral to the
government as “My Government” created an uproar, forcing the PM to defend it
as “international practice.” The 218-point plans and programmes—there were 103
last year—has scattered projects. The government did not address questions
about the progress of last year’s policies and programmes.[7]

Opposition Politics

Nepali
Congress and RPP

Nepali Congress leaders discussed
the party’s role as a strong opposition in the upcoming budget session of the
federal parliament. In the earlier session, Nepali Congress raised issues of
the Medical Education Bill which went unheard against the 2/3 majority; the
same thing happened with the other issues: wide-body scam, Baluwatar land
grab, and the recent encroachment of open space in Kathmandu.[8] Similarly,
chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Kamal Thapa criticized the government
for not working to fulfill the demands of the people and for not taking any
action against those involved in Baluwatar land grab scam.[9]

Naya
Shakti and Forum Merger

The erstwhile Prime Minister and
coordinator of Naya Shakti Party Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and the Deputy Prime
Minister of Oli-led government, Upendra Yadav have merged to form a new party.
Leaders claim the merger is based on the agenda of inclusiveness, good
governance, and prosperity.[10] In the new
set up, Bhattarai is the head of federal council while Yadav will remain at
the helm of the central committee. Ashok Rai, Rajendra Shrestha are the
co-chairs of the party; there are 21 other party officials.[11]

Biplab

Police has re-arrested CPN (M)
Biplab cadre Bir Bahadur Ghalan after the district court of Makwanpur ordered
his release. The police claimed the rearrest was for a separate case.[12]

Security
and Strategic Affairs

Citizenship

The Jhapa district police issued
warrants against nine people including two elected representatives who were
allegedly helping Indian nationals obtain Nepali citizenship. Arrest warrants
were also issued against five people who had testified to support their citizenship.[13]

Human
Rights and Press Freedom

A report published by Reporters
without Borders for Freedom of Information has ranked Nepal 106th
in press freedom, a position that remains unchanged from last year.[14]

The discussion on the NHRC Act 2012
amendment bill in a parliamentary committee created heated debates between
Minister for Law and Justice Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal and lawmakers of the main
opposition. As the government seeks to amend the 2012 Act, the opposition
lawmakers and National Human Rights Commission want the new bill to respect
the Paris Principle and autonomy of the Commission.[15]

War victims and human rights
defenders have blamed the government for trying to mislead them and track back
from its earlier commitment by not amending the Transitional Justice Act 2014.
Even as the government seeks to form the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,
the NHRC has threatened to withdraw its members from the committee formed to
recommend commission members[16] if the
government does not amend the Act.[17]

Social
Security and Justice

Lack
of health facilities and basic necessities such as clean drinking water,
nutritious food and sanitation, people of Humla are suffering from easily
curable diseases like flu, asthma, and diarrhea. Some of them have even lost
their lives due to lack of health post nearby. People have to walk for nearly
three days and spend thousands of rupees to reach the nearest health facility.[18]

All Nepal Security Workers Union
(ANSWU) has demanded that the company who hire security workers should provide
facilities as per the Labor Act, including social security and minimum wages.[19] The
government has asked firms to register details of their companies and
employees make regular deposits as required at the Social Security Scheme
(SSS) or face legal actions.[20] Ironically, a report indicated that the
government has misused the 22.27 billion rupees deposited in the social
security fund.[21]

Gender Based Violence,
Discrimination, Social Inclusion

Witchcraft,
Dowry, Rape, and Murder

A 53-year-old woman in
Nilkantha Municipality-9, Dhading has filed a complaint against her neighbor
of torturing and accusing her of witchcraft. The police have called both the
parties for interrogation as part of the investigation.[22]

In the past four years,
27 women in Nepal have been burnt alive over dowry disputes. The violence in
the name of dowry has been recurrent in Tarai districts among Madhesi
communities.[23]

An Armed Police Force personnel has been charged with
raping a woman in Sonapur. The security personnel committed the crime at the
victim’s home. The victim has filed an FIR and the perpetrator has confessed
to his crime.[24]

Child
Marriage

Teenage
girls have introduced awareness campaigns on child marriage, alcohol abuse,
gambling, polygamy, and other gender-based violence in Achham district
According to UNICEF, Nepal has the third highest rate of child marriage in
Asia.[25]

Equality

As per the Supreme Court order
dated November 2, 2017, the new local government in Panauti Municipality has
introduced a new law for equality in wages for both men and women, which used
to be Rs 700 for men and Rs 400 for women until last year. However,
discrimination is wages still exist in many parts of the country.[26]

Education
versus Livelihood

For students and teachers in Bajhang, collecting
herbs-Yarsa, is more important than their studies. During the Yarsa season, the schools remain closed due to absence of
students as well as teachers
in many gaun palikas and municipalities. [27]

Sexual
and Reproductive Health

Despite the important role midwives play in
facilitating a safe delivery in remote areas, the
government has been indifferent in investing in students who are studying midwifery.
Many students are studying on their on their own expenses different
institutions.[28]
Instead the government is providing free helicopter rescue for pregnant and
nursing mothers[29].

Federal Affairs

Budget
and Bills

The National Natural Resources and
Fiscal Commission (NNRFC) has allocated around Rs 1.7 billion as
performance-based incentive for local governments. A maximum purse of Rs 37
million and a minimum of Rs 4.5 million would be provided as incentive.[30]

The bill related to management of ties among centre,
provinces and local levels denies the provinces the right to prosecute
criminal offences. The provincial governments have claimed that the federal
government is trying to narrow down their rights and weaken the earlier Bills
on Police and Peace Security.[31]

The conflict between Province 2 and
the federal government was reflected in the province’s budget session.
Opposition leaders have been obstructing the session saying that instead of
consulting and coordinating with the center, the province was just opting for
conflict.[32]

Conflict was also seen between the
provinces and the local levels. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law said
that the local governments are not acting as per the constitutional spirit of
cooperation, coexistence, and coordination with the provincial government. Reportedly,
some local governments have worked in coordination with Ministry of the
Federal Affairs and General Administration to bypass the legislative process;
they are neither informing the public nor coordinating with the province.[33]

Human Resource and Administration

Even after the completion of
employee adjustment process, human resource is still in deficit. The local
governments have submitted the demand to fulfill the vacant posts to the
Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA). The Ministry
has sent the details to proceed with the recruitment process to Public Service
Commission.[34]

More
than 2,500 senior citizens in Bangad Kupinde Municipality of Salyan district
have not received their social security allowance since the past six months
due to absence of Chief Administrative Officer in the local government.[35]

Province 1 has announced to
construct 63 bridges in the current fiscal year. The provincial government has
urged the local government to take responsibilities, and assured that they
will make payments in time to the construction company to accomplish the work
on time.[36]

Name
and Capital

Province 1 speaker has directed
registration of the proposal on finalizing its name in the provincial assembly
as the constitution of Nepal has provided this right to the provincial
assembly.[37] The cabinet
meeting of Province 1 has decided to set liaison office for the Chief Minister
in Dhankuta.[38]

Provincial Assembly of Province 2
has declared Janakpur as the capital city and Madhes as the name of the
province.[39] Provincial
Assembly of province 5 has not declared the name of the capital city yet. But
Lumbini is likely to be finalized as the third assembly ended on May 5 and
Dang could be endorsed as the capital city.[40]
The Sudur Paschim Province has set up its liaison office in Dipayal.

International
Relations

BRF
Summit

The second BRF forum
was only attended by Pakistan and Nepal from South Asia. China mainly
highlighted CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), CMEC (China-Myanmar
Economic Corridor), and Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan Multidimensional
Connectivity Network, projects from South Asia. President Xi in response to
the invitation from President Bhandari has committed to visit Nepal at a
convenient time. Although Xi has already visited India, Pakistan, Maldives, Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka, he is yet to visit Nepal. Xi is expected to visit Nepal as the cross-country engagement
is growing.[41]

President Bhandari arrived home a
day before her schedule owing to sickness and also all formal engagements had
been accomplished.[42]

Terrorism

On 1st of
May, the Indian permanent representative to UN was informed that Masood Azhar,
leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad has been blacklisted. China had put a technical
hold on the decision of blacklisting Azhar on March 13 for six more months to
which the US rejected to wait and decided to give a push towards the end of
March.[43] Following
the UN decision, Pakistan government officially declared to freeze asset,
movement restriction and arm embargo on Azhar. Pakistan’s foreign minister
said they are implementing Resolution 2368 (2017) against Azhar immediately.[44]

Foreign Visits

Prime Minister KP Oli
is on a visit to Cambodia and Vietnam from May 9 to 15. Experts have expressed
concerns saying that the visit is of no significance as we neither have
diplomatic engagements nor significant interactions related to trade and
investments with the two ASEAN Countries. PM Oli is expected to study
developmental trends and activities taking place in Vietnam and also attend
Vesak Day (Buddha Jayanti) in Vietnam and signing bilateral agreements in
Cambodia during his visit.[45]

Cross-Border Railways

President Bhandari said
the construction phase for Nepal’s first trans-border railway connecting India
and China will start within two years
with the planning to be done in the upcoming fiscal
year. The project is expected to provide employment for 500,000 Nepalis.[46]

Natural Disasters

Thunderstorm
in Dhanusha district on the morning of Sunday, 28 April, destroyed 148 houses
in Janakpur sub metropolitan. The disaster mostly affected Musahari
Tole, Wakil Tole, Mill Area and Pulchowk and claimed two lives. Most of the
damage could be seen in the houses which were basically made of mud and GI
sheets.[47]